Passive Layers and Corrosion Resistance of Biomedical Ti-6Al-4V and β-Ti Alloys

The high specific strength, good corrosion resistance, and great biocompatibility make titanium and its alloys the ideal materials for biomedical metallic implants. Ti-6Al-4V alloy is the most employed in practical biomedical applications because of the excellent combination of strength, fracture toughness, and corrosion resistance. However, recent studies have demonstrated some limits in biocompatibility due to the presence of toxic Al and V. Consequently, scientific literature has reported novel biomedical beta-Ti alloys containing biocompatible beta-stabilizers (such as Mo, Ta, and Zr) studying the possibility to obtain similar performances to the Ti-6Al-4V alloys. The aim of this review is to highlight the corrosion resistance of the passive layers on biomedical Ti-6Al-4V and beta-type Ti alloys in the human body environment by reviewing relevant literature research contributions. The discussion is focused on all those factors that influence the performance of the passive layer at the surface of the alloy subjected to electrochemical corrosion, among which the alloy composition, the method selected to grow the oxide coating, and the physicochemical conditions of the body fluid are the most significant.